Global InformationJennifer Keesmaat information
Jennifer Keesmaat | |
|---|---|
 Keesmaat in 2010 | |
| Chief City Planner of Toronto | |
| In office September 2012 – September 29, 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Gary Wright |
| Succeeded by | Gregg Lintern |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1970 (age 53–54) Hamilton, Ontario, Canada |
| Political party | Independent |
| Spouse | Tom Freeman |
| Children | 2 |
| Residence(s) | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Alma mater |
|
| Website | thekeesmaatgroup |
Jennifer Keesmaat (born 1970)[1] is a Canadian real estate developer and urban planner who served as Chief City Planner of Toronto from 2012 to 2017[2][3] and the runner-up in the 2018 Toronto mayoral election to Mayor John Tory, where she won 23.6% of the vote and lost to Tory in each of Toronto's 25 wards.
On August 28, 2017, she announced that she would resign from her position as Chief Planner, effective September 29 of the same year,[4][5] and subsequently accepted a teaching position at the University of Toronto.[6] In March 2018, Keesmaat became the CEO of the Creative Housing Society, an independent non-profit group dedicated to creation of affordable housing projects.[7] She was named the ninth most influential person in Toronto by Toronto Life in 2014,[8] and the 41st most important person in Canada by Maclean's in 2013.[9]
On July 27, 2018, Keesmaat announced her candidacy for mayor of Toronto in the 2018 mayoral election.[10] She placed second to incumbent mayor John Tory.[11] After the mayoral election, Keesmaat founded and became CEO of The Keesmaat Group, a company that works with corporate and political leaders to advance change in cities around the world.[12] In 2019, The Keesmaat Group founded the National Housing Innovation event series in partnership with Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) and The Globe and Mail, focused on improving access to affordable housing in Canada.[13]
Jennifer is ranked #33 on Planetizen's list of Most Influential Contemporary Urbanists,[14] and #63 on its list of Most Influential Urbanists of all time.[15]
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
TLifewas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Corey Mintz (2013-03-14). "Quizzing Toronto's top planner Jennifer Keesmaat over dinner". The Star. Retrieved 2013-04-11.
- ^ Marcus Gee (2013-03-01). "Toronto's new chief planner is a breath of fresh air in a stuffy bureaucracy". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2013-04-11.
- ^ Jackie DeSouza (August 28, 2017). "Chief Planner Jennifer Keesmaat to leave City of Toronto" (Press release). City of Toronto government.
- ^ Pelley, Lauren (September 7, 2017). "Jennifer Keesmaat on 5 years as chief planner, being told to 'stick to the knitting,' and what comes next". CBC News. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
- ^ Kerr, Jaren (4 October 2017). "Jennifer Keesmaat to teach at University of Toronto". Toronto Star. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
- ^ "Why Toronto's former chief planner wants Canadians to rediscover renting". 6 April 2018.
- ^ "Toronto's 50 Most Influential: the people who changed the city in 2014". Toronto Life. 14 November 2014. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
- ^ "The 50 most important people in Canada". Maclean's Magazine. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
- ^ Westoll, Nick; Shum, David (27 July 2018). "Jennifer Keesmaat, former Toronto chief planner, running for mayor". Global News.
- ^ McQuigge, Michelle; Perkel, Colin (October 23, 2018). "John Tory cruises to second term as Toronto mayor as Ontario holds municipal elections". National Post. The Canadian Press. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
Tory took just above 63 per cent of the vote while his main rival, former chief city planner Jennifer Keesmaat, took more than 23 per cent — giving the incumbent mayor a far more significant victory than when he was first elected four years ago.
- ^ "WHAT WE DO". The Keesmaat Group. Retrieved 2019-07-16.
- ^ "Home". www.globeandmailevents.com. Retrieved 2020-02-05.
- ^ "The Most Influential Contemporary Urbanists". www.planetizen.com. Retrieved 2023-08-22.
- ^ "The 100 Most Influential Urbanists, Past and Present". www.planetizen.com. Retrieved 2023-08-22.